If your dog is not itching, there is no reason to put any anti-itch cream on the ant bites. As long as the bites are not bothering your dog, you should simply watch them and watch him. You should monitor his behavior very closely. If your dog has any changes in appetite, elimination or behavior, you should seek veterinary attention immediately, especially if his face starts to swell or if he has trouble breathing. If the swelling from the bites does not start to go down in two days, or if the swelling increases, you should contact a veterinarian.

More Questions on Skin and Hair Conditions

My one year old springer (bitch) is losing large amounts of coat evenly (no patches). She will not eat canned food—only offal beef liver, heart or lamb. Otherwise she is fit, healthy and happy, though a little under weight. Should I be concerned?

My dog has dark spots on the top of his neck and is scratching wounds and bald spots under his chin. What is wrong? He is a 4 year old Dachshund. I have treated him for fleas and put moisturizer on him but he is scratching so hard there are large wounds on the under side of his neck and the hair is falling off. When I adopted him, the shelter told me he had one of his saliva glands removed so he has a large scar on the underside of his neck. He is also getting discolored spots on the top of his neck. Is it just the hot weather irritating him and making him dry or is it something more serious?

My six year old male german shorthair pointer has circular symmetrical dark spots on his right and left flank area. The spots appear to have an outer hyperpigmented ring with less pigmentation in the middle. There is no alopecia, itchiness or drainage and no raised area. The spots are not tender to the touch. His appetite and activity level have not been affected. Any ideas on what this may be? Can these be age related changes?

I have a ten week old female puppy 34 staff x 14 ridgeback. She had her first injection and last night we noticed she has a swelling around one of her nipples. Should I take her to the vet? Her nipple is about 1mm and the swelling around it spreads to about 3mm. Do you have any advice about bathing it in salt water?

She has done it for as long as I can remember and there's no sores or signs of injury, ware and tear. It's weird—she picks her front leg up with her mouth and bends it so she can get a good angle on it to start licking and chewing like it was a cow bone. Is it normally for a husky to do, let alone a dog? She doesn't do it often, but when she does she goes to town on her skinny little leg, right where it bends above her paw.

Cause of my white English Bulldog getting redish brown staining
My white english bulldog is getting reddish brown staining on her feet which she is licking but also below her eyes under and around her face. Inside her tail is now dark brown as well as in her ears. These were never this color before...like dirt. Where as before it was yellow in her tail like yeast now it is dark brown....HELP Took her to the vet who said this is normal.....I explained it was not and that she never had this before....told me to just use a special shampoo.

Hello, my female german shepherd x german shepherd/Labrador mix has a misplaced nipple (meaning it is not on her chest, its near her left shoulder) When I was petting her yesterday, I noticed it, it was a bit swollen (about a cm tall and half a cm large) and the color is grey, what should I do about this, roxy is my best friend, please help me!

I have a three year old cairn terrier. I noted a pea sized lump about an inch above her eye. It is not red, it is not warm and it does not have any open areas. Should I be concerned at this time, or watch it for a few days?

I have a 5 month old pug which has been diagnosed and treated successfully for demodex. After the treatment about 1/3 of her body has turned to black along with some hair loss on her head and legs. Although she seems to have healed, I wonder if her skin will ever turn back to its original color or if her hair will ever grow back.. thanks in advance for your reply

My german shepherd has had skin problems. I have added an egg a day and some sweet potato to her diet. How can I get omega 3 in her meals? Her skin & coat seem much better since I have added the egg & sweet potato. I feel that she may lack omega 3 in her diet. Should I try to add this and in which form?

Hi There My dog has a boil type bump near her bum. It has popped and pus and some blood has come out of it. What could it be and any recommendations for treatment? It is not interfering with her bowel movements and she is not licking or rubbing her bum against the floor. Thanks

What can I use to treat my dogs lower jaw where he has some kind of scabby substance on each side? I have 2 dogs and one has something that produces dark scabby stuff on his lower mouth on the outside. I have been cleaning it with peroxide and then putting antibiotic ointment on it once a day for the last couple of days but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. Any suggestions.

I have a three year old Pit bull and I have taken him to the doctor and had him tested for mange and they said he did not have it. The vet gave him a shot and gave me some shampoo to bath him in but his hair is not coming back do you have any suggestions?

My dog (beagle) had the hematoma ear surgery three weeks ago today. The tube was put in and sutures are holding the tube in place. Now there are bumps along the sutures. Is this just irritation because the sutures have been in so long?

A few weeks ago my new neighbor mentioned to me that she had scabies. Having just moving in I didn't know what scabies even were. Now my dog appears to have mange, she has lost huge spots of fur at least 10 or more all over her body except for her head,neck and ears. She is a 14 year old border collie who has a sister that doesn't seem to be affected. I have tried brushing followed with oatmeal/vegetable oil baths but nothing is helping, she's miserable. Please let me know what to do and possibly if my neighbor gave her human scabies. I'm a full time student and can't afford much but will try whatever you recommend. Thank you..

Helllo, A bump question amongst the tons you recieve already from a Pre-vet student who doesnt have the answers
My three & five year old Basset Hounds have developed a few under the skin bumps. My oldest, Lola Has had one of her side & one on her skull for awhile now. I have had them aspirated to find out they are not harmful. My question with Allie involves the same, she now has a couple to. Ally is Lola's daughter. She has one tiny pea-like bump on her head & between her shoulder blades. With what feels to be another one starting close by. Would you please give me an idea of what to keep an eye out for?

My beagle is 4 years old and I noticed a couple of days ago her top lip was very red and all her hair is missing on it. Now today I noticed there are several red bumps along with this. What could this be?

I have an eight month old pit bull. He has had all his shots and at one point had parvo but got rid of that and fully recovered. It has been approximately four months since the parvo and he is beginning to get random sores popping up on the top of his back. They start out as sores and turn into big scabs that crack open. What can this be and how do I properly care for it?

I am giving her Tameril-P for the lesions and itching. Two tablets twice a day. She is a white & tan Staffordshire Terrier with a terrible itch problem. She itches on all the rugs & anything she can get relief from. I have also tried numerous medicated shampoos. When will she get better?

On her belly. they are circular, various sizes, and recurrently scab over, seem to be healing, then show up with scabs again. She's the only animal in the house who has these spots and they don't seem to be bothering her. But the fact that more of them are showing up is starting to worry me. I would very much like at least an idea as to what is causing her strange spots. she's had them for a couple weeks.

I have 8mo. 1/2 Akita 1/2 Shiba Inu, loyal family member that has had a skin problem for over 4 months. She has redish, puss-filled pimples are around her neck, belly, and inner thighs with surrounding areas of dry black skin that loses hair. (pictures avaiable)I am located in China and she has seen a local vet 4x that says it may be mites, then gave us medication that did not stop the problem. She still has the same amount of red pimples and the black balding areas are growing. Please help.

About overheating?
We adopted an approx 2 yr old beagle-dashound mix. We believe he's from the Bakersfield area & were told he was found on a very hot day. Is is possible he is more susceptible to heat stroke? He does have a black "jacket" coat. And he stops frequently even though it is relatively cool outside 78 degrees.

fluid filled like cyst around my chihuahuas armpit
I just discovered a fluid filled sack that seems like a cyst in my chihuahuas armpit. it's move able and doesn't seem attached or hard. is this harmful?

I have a red-nosed pitbull terrier. I am seeing little bald spots here and there, including one on his tail. I have another dog and they play rough. Some of the bald spots have noticeable little cuts from the dogs playing. But, not on the other spots. If my dog has demodectic mange is there a one-time cure? If not, what kind of treatment would the pup require and would it be a lifetime treatment? Thank you.

My just under two year old female Shiba Inu recently started losing a patch of hair (approx. 3" x 3") on the outer side of her rear thigh. I can feel a very small lump in the middle, and there's a little red surrounding it. She bites at it as to itch it every so often, but I'm stumped as to what it can be.

I have a Boxer/Coonhound mix. He is 3 years old and intact. When he was around a year old he developed itching, hair loss, shaking his head constantly, hyperpigmentation of the skin, and he smells awful. He also eats a ton but never gains any weight - he looks completely starved. Sometimes the symptoms will subside and he will grow his hair back, but they always come back. At one point he was completely bald. He has been treated for thyroid, mange, and bacterial infections.

why does white fur discolor?
The fur on my white bull terrier (7 yrs old) has started getting rusty colored areas under his neck and on his legs. I know some dogs fur gets stained from licking but his is staining in areas that he can not reach to lick. What causes it and is there anything to whiten it again?

pink rash on neck, can it be from flea collar?
I looked at my dogs neck today and I saw pinkish flesh under his flea collar. I had loosened it earlier in the week because it seemed tight but when I checked it wasn't tight today. I toke it off and all along where the collar was on the inside of his neck was pink and looked raw. He wouldn't really let me touch it and started to go after the flea collar that was sitting next to me. he keeps scratching at and trying to lick area. What can it be and what can I do to help him?

skin condition with hair loss
my dog is undergoing heartworm treatment but has a worsening skin condition that I am concerned about. Initially, we thought the problem was an allergy to fleas but after a 21-day antibiotic treatment and use of an anti-fungal shampoo,Jojo continues to have scabby-looking spots all over his body and face. These areas are losing hair and are tender when touched. Jojo spent two 4-day stretches at the vet's over the course of HW treatment but they made no further suggestions. Any advice is appreciat

What is this
Last Saturday I took my dog to the vent, he has a bald spot on the top of his head. She scrapped for mites but didn't find anything. His ears are full of bites and they have started to cover his body. He's lost a lot of fur and has huge patches of red skin on his legs. Every time I look at him he looks worse. The vet doesn't seem worried, she gave him something Promeis or something like that to apply to his back but it's not helping he's only gotten worse, how can I help him?

My 12-year old Boxer/American Bulldog mix has suddenly sprouted small hard lumps all over his back and sides. They have all appeared within the past couple of weeks. It's hard to examine them under his fur but they seem like little crusty calluses. I have been unable to find any info on what might be the cause. Is it likely something serious?

growing skin tag?
Hello, My dog Kealie is 3 yrs old and I noticed a pinkish growth on her just a couple of days ago, and it has gotten bigger pretty fast. It looks like a skin tag, but because of its growth rate, should I be worried? Thanks, Stephanie

My yorkie puppy, Coco, is balding on the back half of her body. It goes from midback to the butt, and beginning of the tail. When I got her, her tail wasn't cropped, and I haven't gotten it cropped. She also has a very active personality, but since we put flea stuff on her, she has changed. We had fleas horribly and my boyfriend bought Frontguard flea stuff. Well now she goes around whining, and rubs up against furniture. She also shivers and her leg twitches sometimes. What can this be?

Have W. Highland Terrier, 11 yrs. old. Has been extremely healthy, only visiting vet anually for booster and routine checks. Towards his shoulders at the back and before his chest at the front he has developed 2 pretty big wart like skin tags. Seems unaware of these and can be squeesed tightly and he doesn't flinch. Should I be worried? Also say twice a week an odd urine spot on floor but no other symptoms that I've read on prostate problems. Thanks for any help.

male Brittney spaniel is losing hair,skin dirty and turning dark and scabbing
male Brittney spaniel is losing hair,skin dirty and turning dark puss podules forming one pooped under his arm and he is itching but not a great deal. and has these red golf ball size red spots too that i think are turning into the black spots and a couple are scabbed and one looks like it was infected

My 10 year old spayed female bichon
Other than some recurrent skin infections, our dog exhibits no obvious symptoms. She had a bad reaction to K9 Advantix about two months ago; could that have anything to do with this problem? Are there any other possible causes of Stud Tale? Thank you. Burt

What is the mold looking issue with ny Yorkie
I have a 1 year old female Yorkie that has scratched off the hair on the back of both ears. She has looks like mold on the areas that still have hair. Please help! I've spent a ton of money and nobody knows what it is. Any ideas????

Can you help confirm my dogs condition
I live in Spain and am looking after an abandoned 3 year old black lab who has a bad skin condition. She has been seeing a vet for around 8 weeks now and has been diagnosed with a fungal infection. She has been treated with antibiotics, antifungal shampoo, vitamins and is on a tablet called ketoconazol ratiopharm 200mg. She has very dry flaky skin, hair loss, bald lumps on joints, smells awful and is very under weight but eats and drinks extremely well.

Last night, our six-year old dog, Toby, was extremely lethargic and his skin (belly, inside of ears, gums, etc.) was a deep red, almost purple color. No rash or signs of itchiness. He didn't eat all day, but drank his water bowl dry. He also vomited once. I took him to the vet and they're not entirely sure what it is - possibly vasculitis. Any ideas or possible causes for this reaction? Thanks!

Is it mange, or something else?
I have a female Beagle, roughly 3 years old. Just recently I noticed some discoloration on her fur on her back near her hind quarters. When I looked closer I realized it was dried blood, and that quite a large patch of her fur was thinning. I also found dried blood on her stomach, and the skin there was red and irritated. She has been scratching quite persistently to the point of making herself bleed. I first assumed it was fleas, so I gave her a bath and treated her with Advantage. It calmed somewhat, but the itching persisted as the days went by. Now she has a few scraps on her legs, not scabs, but small scraps caused by her claws, and a small bald spot near the original thinning hair. And I've been noticing a stronger odour than normal (not the rotting flesh that they claim is associated with Mange, more like she's been outdoors for hours) but it's almost cloying at times. After searching the internet, I realize this has all the signs of mange, but a part of me remains sceptical (and hopeful) that it really isn't. The reason being, that I also have 6 other cats and a dog and none of them are displaying any of these symptoms. My mother claims that it could be allergies causing this, and dry skin. It seems that the problems started after I put a flea collar on her. Is it possible she had an allergic reaction to this? Will allergic reactions cause these symptoms? Is there any way to really tell the difference? I would take her to a vet, but unfortunately money is tight, so it's really not an option. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

The condition causes EXCESSIVE itching, her hair gets an odd odor when we itch for her, and the hair area gets moist and warm. She gets pus pockets and the area affected is the side of her legs, her lower back and the base of her tail. I have taken her to our local vets who are unable to diagnose and treat her. She has been given Temaril-P to treat the condition, which helps with the itching, but not the other symptoms. Do you have any idea what this could be and what medication she needs?

Skin turning black black crusts covering body
we have 2 rescue inbred cats from the same parents one has a problem with their fur falling out their skin turning black and thick black crusts which started round their eyes and are slowly covering their body we have spent thousands in vet bills with tests to find out what is wrong we have lost count on the number of tablets they have been put on it is nothing to do with fleas. now the vets say its because they are inbred and nothing can be done advice on what it could be greatly appreciated

i have a 3year old pit bull. She recently developed blister like sores on her paws between her toes & between her pads.they started on her back feet now they are on her front also. Any idea what this would be or what could cause this?

I have a three year old mixed breed (jack russel and beagle) named Toby.
He has developed an open sore the size of a small button on his back I first noticed it a few days ago and it was just a little lump, but now it is a hairless scab that opens up and bleeds. Any thoughts?

Shiba Inu - Male - 3 years old Bump is round, smooth and red, where the upper and lower lips meet. it doesnt seem to be bothering him. noticed it yesterday Looks like it got a little bigger since i noticed it. Looks like a little dried blood on tip. Maybe a pimple? I have a picture.

He is running fever and these knots look bad and he is throwing up. They look like he had an allergic reaction to something. We gave him benadryl and sprayed him for fleas.He has been acting like his joints were getting stiff for a few days.

My 7 month old doberman was dx with demodex/puppy mange 3 months ago.
My 7 month old doberman was dx with demodex/puppy mange 3 months ago. I took her to the vet for weekly dips and the vet also gave her an injection. She had a total of 8 dips. She has no hair loss now. The vet did not do a scraping for testing to my knowledge. He told me to use promeris from now on. I am just wondering if he is over medicating her. Can't puppies out grow this type of mange? I don't want to give her anymore pesticides than absolutely necessary.

Hello. I currently have a 6 month old lab mix with boxer. I had gotten her in a rescue center about 2 months ago, and right away i noticed she was gnawing herself tremendously! I've taken her to a vet that gave me oral medication, that didnt help at all! I'v even put her into a cone for a month and she still found a way to either bit herself or scratch. Now am trying to find sprays, ointment, shampoos, dog foods that can help her. She is getting bald spots, and some of the spots are getting really bad to the point that there is dry blood. Not only does she have a skin disorder but she constantly smells! I give her a bath once a week with a shampoo with oatmeal included, and within a day she smells. What can that be? Please help.

my dogs has like rashes on his ears and it has blood on it and his hair is falling off. Both of his ears its like little patches of missing hair with dry and wet blood.I dont know what my dog has im very worried about him if you know what it is please let me know?

I have a chocolate lab. The skin around his mouth is dark but I noticed the other week he has developed light spots, like freckles, around his mouth. This morning I noticed he also has them on the pads of his feet, which were all black. I don't know if it's related but he has had loose stools for two days & his back leg is bothering him(I think he pulled a muscle- we are keeping a close eye on him & giving him Deramax) Is there anything serious that can cause the pigmentation change?

They came from a breeder. She had another dog that had it on 3/4 of its body. She had it PTS. One dog has a spot on upper ribs 3-4 inches across. The other dog has one on each side just below spine about quarter size. They do not appear to have fleas. They are eating different food than they had at breeders. I had fed my bichons the same food she was feeding and they kept scratching too. I have only had these dogs a few days. I have them separated from my dogs. Any suggestions?

Red spot accompanied by hair loss.
My mini-daschund has a spot on his tail. It is red and about the size of a penny. He has lost all his fur in this area. I have no idea what happened to him! He didn't have it yesterday and he is primarily an inside dog. The spot doesn't seem to bother him, but I am really alarmed.

Why are part of my dogs quicks (nails) red like blood?
my dog tonka is a red nose pitt bull male . its a little weird and i dont know why but his skin under his nails is like a blood red at the top and hes always licking his feet, what does this mean and is he ok ? what do i need to do?

My 7 year old male dog is a rescue. He usually has a longer coat. We had him clipped as the weather has been so hot. When we first got him, he had a wart like growth on his right flank that the vet tested cells on and said it was nothing to worry about. I have felt it at times and know that it has grown over the last 4 years, but now that he is clipped, I am able to see that it is the size of a ping pong ball, and very wart like in appearance. He is due for a check up in Nov. Should I get it looked at sooner? Should it come off?

My chihuahua has dry skin (per the vet) and has been biting the same spot to the point that he has no hair left there. There is not a sore there, and I don't want him to get one. So I have a 2 part question: 1. How can I keep him from biting the area? 2. Can I use hydrocortisone cream on him (and if so, keep him from licking it off)?

Through the thick double coat of fur there is a line of scabs about four inches long from behind his ear towards his shoulder blade. I brushed them thinking they were flea bites and found nothing. But surely not in a line, right? when I brushed all I got were small scabs of skin. He doesn't seem to be effected by them at all. What could cause a line of small scabs?

My dog breaks out on his leg every summer. It looses hair and then it is bumpy, red, and sometimes drains. In the winter it clears completely up and goes away. Would Neem skin oil be a good choice to fight this? We have taken him to the Vet and he was put on antibiotics that helped but now it is still itchy. They want to do tests for mange but our other dogs do not suffer from this condition. Please advise.

My dog seems to be losing hair under his neck. We have fought demodectic mange with him in the past but this does not look the same as it is all over his neck as opposed to one spot and does not have the redness that occurred with the demodectic mange. There does not appear to be any dry skin or flaking. We have been leaving his collar off of him as much as possible in hopes that that would help, but it does not seem to be helping. We do use a slip collar on walks.

My st. bernard mix has a large, thick as a human thumb toenail. What is the cause and how will my vet treat it?
Adopted him from a shelter about two yrs. ago. Mixed with a long-haired breed so problem was not initially evident. Nail is thick and curved and extends from nail bed to tip. Dog limps and nail is sensitive to touch. He chews on it and it is flaking and splitting. Wonder it it is a result of possible injury or perhaps indicative of disease? How should it breed treated and once it is, will it be a re-occurring problem. Taking him to vet tomorrow. Thank you.

My 2 wk old lab puppy has a swollen "toe" and a bump on the top of it's foot. I think it might be from dragging it's back leg before it could walk as it can now. But I'm worried it might be something else. It doesn't seem to hurt though. The bump almost looks like a callus. But the toe is what worries me because it is getting too big for it's nail. Thanks.

My Golden Retriever mix slipped and fell of my landing twice and I noticed a large clump of hair stuck in the wood where he slipped. The skin was not injured in any way, it is just a bald spot, no scraps,cuts,etc. Will the hair grow back and what can I do to make it grow back faster? Any ideas will help. Thank you!

My 9 year old Mini Pinscher just recently has been losing her hair in small areas. When I pet her skin is very flaky and comes right off still attached to the hair (in clumps). The troubled spots are behind her hind legs and one on her lower torso. I am very concerned about this, so your immediate response will be greatly appreciated.

red spots about nickel size all over my dogs rump their are about 8 of these spots what could it be? He is continually licking at his butt can i put a cortisone cream on the little spots they are moist but not pussy or bleeding.

I have a weimaraner puppy (14 weeks) I noticed that she has two toenails that separated between the nail and quick. The nail has recently tuned white and today she broke one off. She has seen a vet and I was told to "Watch" . Is there anything that I can do for this?

My 8 wk old puppy developed a lump on neck after using hartz flea drops
I gave puppy thorough bath in dawn dish soap and Got all fleas off him i put hartz flea drops on him and he developed a lump near the site of administration

My puppy Labrador got a small red lump on her paw at the end of last week, smaller than a pea, and it burst over the weekend. It doesn't appear to be sore any more but it has left a tiny brown hard lump on her paw. Any advice?

my dog is a Chinese shar pei and she has lots (couple dozen probably more) of oil filled bumps (kind of like blisters) all over her inner legs and skin. When she scratches them it feels like oil and when it dries it makes her fur stick together.

Hi, I have a 6 year old Llewellin setter. She woke me up last night pawing at her muzzle. Upon inspection, I found a bright red lump(the size of an eraserhead) on her lip. Its on the lower right side of her jaw. It is firm to the touch. I was curious as to what this could be and if there is anything I can do?

Why does the black come off my dog's nose? Right on the bridge her nose is raw and red why? Is there anything I can do to prevent it? Also we recently got chickens and I was wondering , could she be allergic.....

My yellow lab itches all the time - and sheds - he is on the same exercise and food regime as my black lab who exhibits normal, healthy activity - should he be given benadryl? or an anti-itch medication? He weighs 68 lbs

Hi, I have a male Labradoodle about 15 months old. Recently he developed a couple of pimples on his nose. There is some pus in them. He scratches his nose against the carpet. Is this something to worry about?

Our 8 year Old English Sheepdog girl was in good health until 1 month ago; our son brought home ticks that attached to the dog who was on Advantix 100. We took her to 3 different vets from 1 clinic that missed the ticks. We found the ticks that infested on her. After removing all ticks vet prescribed anti-biotics and Predisone for 30 days. Without the Predisone shes stumbling around and hanging her head low. With the Predisone she acts normally. What could be the problem? Who should we consult? Any ideas or direction?

My dog has bumps on her back that started by her tail and have now spread up her back. when I pick them away they form a scab and return. When I saw that they were spreading, I left them alone. What are they and what should I do to help her get rid of them?

my dog has a lot of insect bites on his belly and i was wondering if there is any thing I con put on this to help. He doesn't bite or scratch at it much. I would bring him to the vet but I recently lost my Job. Please help.

I have 2 dogs. A 10 year old Rat Terrier, who a advanced cushings disease and also dry skin. And I also have a tiny chihuahua, not sure how to spell that name of dog. The are considered my babies. He also has dry skin and is able to scratch himself but is miserable. My other baby is not able to scratch himself very much at all because he weighs over 21 pounds, so I scratch him. All I want to know, is it OK to give at the very least, my smallest baby, Human Liquid Allergy childrens Benadryl?

my dog has a heavy skin irritation on her skin she does not have much hair left and will scratch it till she is bleeding and it make this big scab.wash her with every shampoo there is nothing work change here diet it not working please help skin is very very dry

A stray dog is hanging around in our yard for a day. He has hair loss on his ear and legs. I think it may be mange. Could our dog pick mange just by going outside? We are not allowing our dog to even get close to this stray.

Just bought a Pomeranian from an unreliable source. The dog has no medical records, not neutered, and came with fleas. I cleared up the fleas and noticed a black patchy discoloration on the groin. He is energetic, only a year and a half old, and keeps licking the area. Should I be worried?

Hi - My dog had a brown discharge or substance that appears around his mouth. It's been happening for over 6 mo. now. (I live in remote Alaska and can't get to a vet.) It's not his saliva, & he doesn't seem to be bothered by it unless I wipe or mess with it. What is causing this and any ideas how to heal it? Oh, the dog is a 7-yr old Chesapeak Bay Retriever. Thanks for the help!

My four year old adopted chihuahua pug mix has a bald patch under her collar area on the front of her neck and although it's just normal skin underneath, it doesn't seem to be irritating herv, nor is it bumpy, red, rashy looking, or anything like that. I'm worried. I don't want to pay the vet to tell me she's okay but I want to know what's up and if I should go get her checked. I've been bathing her a lot lately because of fleas, but it was there before that and has gotten bigger. Help? Suggestions?

My Chihuahua/Jack Russell has some kind of sore on her right front leg. It is right on the joint. It sort of looks like a scab but it's really dark in color, it almost looks black. It doesn't hurt her or itch her, If I pull on it to try remove it, then it bleeds and hurts her. It will stop bleeding and go back to the way it was. It won't go away no matter what I put on it. It doesn't get any smaller and it doesn't get any bigger. She has had it for over a year now and I just can't figure out what it is. What do you think it could be?

My chihuahua/jack russell has some kind of sore on her right front leg. It is right on the joint. It sort of looks like a scab but it's really dark in color, it almost looks black. It doesn't hurt her or itch her, If I pull on it to try remove it, then it bleeds and hurts her. It will stop bleeding and go back to the way it was. It won't go away no matter what I put on it. It doesn't get any smaller and it doesn't get any bigger. She has had it for over a year now and I just can't figure out what it is. What do you think it could be?

Hi, I have a 14 week old german shepard mix that I adopted as a stray. At 10 weeks I had her spayed/given shots and treated for fleas/ticks and ear mites. About a week after her vet visit, she began itching and losing fur in small dime sized spots. At 14 weeks she was diagnosed with demodectic mange. From what I have read, the prescription treatment for demodex can be dangerous, and I am wary of giving it to my baby. Would you recommend Dermisil for Mange as a safer treatment?

My four year old Sheltie is continually itchy. Within four days of bathing her, she begins to emit a strong, foul odor. There doesn't seem to be any lesions besides a couple spots where it appears she has scratched herself raw. This began about a year ago when I switched her food. I switched her back but it has not improved.

My 9year old Jack Russell mix has a cyst about 3 inches above her tail 1 inch to the right. It has been there and not bothering her for 2 or so years and it opened up on the left side and chunky white matter came out. We squeezed it to get out all the matter and that was followed by blood drainage. It drained for a couple of days. We put liquid bandage on it after it was draining and it took 48 hrs before it broke open again, just serosang drainage this time. Antibacterial ointment and dsg 2.

My 4-year-old Coton DeTulear has a rash that comes and goes on his belly which started awhile ago. Some days it looks like it's clearing up, other days it's back. Nothing has changed with his shampoo or food. It looks like acne, small puss-filled bumps, some redness around them, they sometimes crust over, yellowish. He doesn't excessively itch the area but will sometimes lick it. Does this sound like some sort of mites? (although it doesn't seem to excessively itch). Any other ideas? Thank you!

What is a simple treatment for hot spots? I have cut my dog's hair and treated her with benadryl but they keep popping up. On the sores I have used neosporin and a fungal creme I found at the pet store, but even after they heal in one spot they appear on another. Thank you for your help. B Jones

Please help. My 15yr old mini briard has one dark spot above each hind leg. He eats very well and walks every day. staying w/ friends who have tile & wood floors. He lays on them all day but walks morning and evening pretty far. It is Tucson and it is over a hundred degrees outside. Cooler on inside. It looks like his skin is breaking down. I have no money-my friends have 4 dogs and 4 horses is there some sort of home remedy for this? How do I make the spots go away? Other than that he's himself

i have a almost 3 month old puppy he is a german shepherd that has lost hair one the end/tip of his tail it seems to be growing back i think one of the other puppies chewed on it will the hair grow back?

Should I let my dog go outside with her skin infection condition can she play with my other dog? Is it contagious? I took my dog to get a haircut and the groomer told me she had a skin infection.So, i took her to the vet asap. The vet told me he needed to run some test to know if it is fungus or another infection starting with a M. Unfortunately, I only had enough for the medication and shots. The medication is to stop her from biting and licking but it's been a day with that medication and she does not stop. If the wound does not go away when should i take her to the vet for the test? Is it bad if she bleeds?

My dog has had a piece of skin growing on his testicle for about 8 months. Today it has grown to the size of a grape and looks kind of like its scratched open. no blood or puss coming out and it is soft and not hard. He's 13 years old, a little overweight but in great general health. thank you

We just got a new dog who is two. He is a shephard mix, not sure what else is in him. But after we got him I notice what looked like either a tick or a wart on his snout. I looked at it, wasn't sure what it was so I didn't mess with it. Then jump ahead a few days and it was all bloody so I messed with it. It was now just a scab and I plucked it off. Definitely wasn't a tick. But he has more of them around his mouth. My 2nd dog has bumps too in his mouth but the normal kind,So I know the diff help

My dog recently was boarded at a vet for two days. When I brought her home I gave her a good bathing and brushing. I walked her after and made sure she was well dried. I then noticed excess hair, but assumed it was just stress from boarding. Over last week I noticed her hair was extremely coarse, and I saw little scabs around neck. She's itching a lot more. What could this be?

I have a 1 year old Welch Corgi. At about 6 months of age, he started chewing on his hind quarter on one side - didn't break the skin, swell or ooze. Vet said it was a hot spot and gave us some pills. He never stopped doing it, it turned into a habit. Noticed today when I went to walk him he is limping and favoring that side. any ideas? he gets frontline and heartguard every month

Hello, I have a two year olf black lab mix, who is around 35 pounds. She is loosing hair on her chest and the inside of her legs in patches. There are a lot of mosquitos but I am not finding any bites and she is inside most of the time. Is this serious, or could it just be caused by the mosquitos? She is not scratching a lot. There are a lot of patches, what can I do to help it? Thank you for the help, Lauren.

What would cause my beagle's chest all the way down to her hind legs and a little under her front arm pits to be red like a rash? The redness is straight down from her chest and a little on the inside of her thighs and under her arm pits (which are not as red). She also has a blister like bump on her bottom lip. I put tea tree oil on a cotton ball and rubbed it on the "rash". Could it be poison ivy/oak?

I took my dog to her vet on tuesday and they found that she was positive for demodectic mange. They gave me promeris for her condition, but she's still scratching and itching. How can I help her stop itching, and is it possible for the mites that cause the mange to make people itch as well?

I have a 2 year old Great Dane. He is a tuxedo color, black with a whit chest. Recently his fur on his sides have gone from a Jet black to a dirty brown color. It looks as if he has rolled around in some dirt, but I bathe him and the dirty brown remains. Is this a problem and what can I do to get his shinny jet black color back?

A couple of months ago my border collie spaniel mix, Teagan, began developing hot spots and I treated them with a trusted product that worked. With the typical hot spot symptoms came some hair loss in the affected areas, and in areas that were later affected. I'm still treating areas on her belly and inner part of her legs. However, none of her hair seems to be growing back, even in unaffected areas! Are the two related? Will the hair grow back once the hot spots are gone or ever?

Shih tzu has little puss like pimples only on her back what are they caused by? I had brought her to the vet and they said it was allergies. She doesn't itch them at all. Wat are they from and some get scabs on them? Please help. Thank u tara

Got blk lab-mix in 2-2010 @ 2 mos old. Soon after developed parvo.Treated asap& she was hospitalized(7 days)& has been fine.Now has generalized red mange.Vet provided us w/Mitaban dip-we tried once(was nightmare-dog wouldn't cooperate).Will pay to have dips done b/c of toxicity on humans+dog of Mitaban.Have a 7-yrold son. So we are concerned about being exposed to dog after dips?Any safer,effective alternatives(for humans+dog)?Promeris(still has Amitraz)?Ivermectin(danger to dog)?Daily Interceptor$$

My 1 1/2 year old chow/sheltie mix has lost considerable hair since I adopted him 2 months ago. He used to be full and fluffy, now his coat is thin and wirey. He was recently scratching/biting a lot, the vet said it was probably allergies and he took allergy meds the past 10 days. The scratching has diminished greatly, but why the significant change in his coat? Will it grow back? He seems normal otherwise. Thanks! -Sarah

My 6 month old doberman has had hives come and go around her neck area. She was given an antibiotic and that did not affect the hives. I have changed food and am now feeding her a whitefish formula of dry food - no grains. I have noticed a mucus coming our of her eye from time to time. We live in the Houston TX area. Help!

Have a chihuahua min pin mix. Has had infected anal glands before that burst through the outside. This time the swelling in inside, at the bottom of his anus. Can't take him to the vet for a few days. When I finally get an unemployment check. I am giving him antibotics and aspirin for the pain for now.

Please help! My 7 year old 4 pound Chihuahua is suffering from incredibly flaky dry skin. He now has bald patches all over his body, and looks absolutely horrible (so bad that people are afraid to touch him). Due to stress from post surgery (surgery in Dec, skin issues since mid Feb) complications, I believe my dogs immune system has been affected, and he is unable to control his allergy to somethings/or things anymore. He is on Atopica once/day, and medicated shampoo 2-3/week. NOTHING WORKING!

Our Jack Russell has multiple growths on her skin. They tend to be rounded, dome-like at first. Then, they inevitably burst or leak, then flatten out. They resemble a piece of chewed bubble gum. What comes out isn't pus or infection, it appears to be fat. Our former vet removed one on her collar line that wouldn't stop bleeding and getting injured, and just called them 'fatty growths' with no explanation of why they keep recurring, or what they really are. (genetic defect?) Any ideas?

My pug often has allergic reactions where his skin and coat appear lumpy. This time, after developing the lumps his whole skin has turned bright red and is actually sagging in the chest area. I've given him an oatmeal bath and benedryl like I normally do, but nothing is helping. He is 4 years old and we recently went on a road trip to WA from CA. The symptoms developed two days after we got home.

My dogs are both females about 1 1/2 years of age. We live in the country and they are free to run outside when they want. The pink, hairless area is about 1 inch on either side of the nose and surrounding the nose on all sides. It seems tender, but both dogs have acted normal in their dietary habits and playing. They are sleeping a bit more. Their noses seem fine, but all areas surrounding it are hairless and tender and the areas seem to be spreading slightly.Both are mixed breeds approx.50 lb

for the past two days i have noticed a growing number of what appears to be flea bites on my dog. i have combed him throughly several times and found nothing. i gave him a flea bath couldn't find anything in the water. now i have shaved half of his coat and can see just bites every where but nothing crawling around on him. what could be biting him, or what could possibly be the cause of this.

What would your treatment be for a dog with reoccuring abscesses on the prostate. He has been neutered. In the past we were able to treat with antibiotics, IV fluids, etc. However, this time nothing seems to be working. He has spent over a week at vet's office. Our vet says surgery may be only option, but we cannot afford to travel out of state and the surgery. Any suggestions?

My 4-year-old cockapo chewed/licked her foot pad raw until infected. She was put on a 14-day course of antibiotics 6 days ago and is wearing a cone. It is driving her mad because she wants to lick/scratch at her genitals and paws but cannot with the cone. She just began dragging her anus on the rug while whimpering and when I checked it out it was swollen (could be from dragging). Do you think it could be a yeast infection? If so, what do you suggest I do?

My dog has a tumor on her foot that has been present for just about a year. It started out looking like a sore that soon grew into a lump ( a year ago in July). We had it biopsied last August, and the results were that it was not cancer but that it was a hemangioma. After the biopsy, it increased in size and looked "angry" for a time. It reached about the size of a half a ping pong ball. It has a sort of mushroom structure. It has a trunk that has not really increased in size.

I have a 2 years old golden retriver and he has some sort of skin condition. He has bruises on his skin that are infected. At some point they heal but more appear frequently. He is scratching the bruises so I guess he's itching. We have gone to a vet many times and he gave us some antibiotics (enroksin), the wound is treated with hibisept and some iodine. In winter he's fine though. Now for about a year he's eating only briquettes without grain.

My 2 1/2 year old mixed lab has been on antibiotics for the past 6 weeks to clear "probable skin infection" (a tiny little redness around some folicules)causing really bad excessive dandruff (which started last December, winter dry indoor season). My dog never had dandruff before, but suffers from seasonal allergies (summer, itching, licking paws...).I deal with seasonal itching with maintenance treatment and it's ok. Dandruff is much better now but still, I'm confused. Antibiotics for so long?

Our bullmastiff broke out in bumps (hives) and even her eyelids swelled up. Our Vet gave us hydroxazine to give her, but we were wondering what could have caused this. She was going crazy trying to sooth the itching I guess, all over her body.

In my golden's stomach I found something on its stomach, the size of a quarter, round and had a green color to it. It looked like a blister. I squeezed it and a green pasty substance came out of it. I wiped it and now there is a red spot which looks like a blister looks after it bursts. I wiped it with peroxide and sprayed Lanacane on it. What can this be?

My dog has a small bald spot on his rear, round, started out the size of a quarter, came on all of a sudden and has grown a little bit since then. The spot is skin colored, not red, but does have reddish-brown raised welts.

I have a lab/boxer mix. He is 1 1/2 years old. For the past year, we have been trying to cure a bacterial infection on his nose. It is only on one side of the nose, but also is spreading to his eye. We have tried antibiotics for the past year. They do help with the infection, but as soon as I stop the antibiotics, the infection is right back again. Any suggestions?

Our dog has an itchy sore on his back lower leg that he keeps biting and it gets a little bloody and looks swollen. I have tried to put antibiotic ointment on it and cover it, but he just bites it until it comes off. He can still reach it with a collar on.

My roommate's dog has recently had about 5-8 random bumps appear on his belly and neck. They are almost half a centimeter in diameter, and we noticed them first as red, raised bumps on his skin that were either already dark scabs, or developed into them quickly. At first we thought they might be bug bites. Now I would just like the knowledge of a professional! Just need to know if this is something simple, from him being a puppy and exploring the yard, or if he needs to see a vet asap. Thanks!!

A lady brought her pit bull to the park who has mange and the sign clearly says no dogs allowed if they are having problems. Having said that, her dog was playing with my dogs. Can they get the mange from contact???

Please do not use our site to attempt to diagnose or treat your pet. Your veterinarian is the best source of health advice for an individual pet.

Please do use our site to become better informed about the medical problems your pet may have. We will do our best to ensure that information presented is accurate and up-to-date. The most current information will be at the top of each page. Remember that veterinarians often disagree about the best treatments for pets. There are often several perfectly acceptable ways to treat the same condition. Just ask a lot of questions!

For all emergency situations, please contact your local Emergency Pet Clinic or on-call Veterinarian. Answers are not provided in real time. We can not guarantee an answer to every question, nor can we provide timely responses to urgent questions in many instances.